Shuffle shoes



3,0Z7,h57 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,027,657 SHUFFLE SHOES Michael A. La Poll-o, 69% Freeman, Lyndhnrst, NJ. Filed Feb. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 86,991 7 Claims. (Cl. 36-4) This invention relates, generally stated, to laythings and toys but has reference, more in particular, to gameplaying and amusement contrivances and devices, for example, special purpose shoes which are herein referred to as shuflle shoes.

As will be hereinafter more fully revealed the shoes which have been selected for use are expressly designed and uniquely adapted for use by youngsters performing as participants in a racing game and Where each youngster is intentionally handicapped by wearing a pair of shoes linked together by novel mechanical shackling means, the latter being such in construction that each participant must skid and shuffle along the floor or other surface from a given starting point to a predetermined finish line or goal.

It may be mentioned here that the broad idea of a shuffle-along foot race is not in itself new. In fact, and since time immemorial, youngsters have been known to tie the shoelaces of their shoes together in a manner to limit strides and retard and complicate progress much to the amusement of all concerned. During the activity and attending restraint and hindrance to motion much excitement and wholesome merriment involving spills and laughter, invariably prevails. But shoelaces break and shoes pull off with the result that disqualifications often provoke many youngsters to give up and refuse to play, despite the gaiety and fun prevailing. These and other factors, not touched upon here, gave rise to the instant endeavor to advance this line of endeavor; so, briefly, the present concept has to do with specially devised shuflle shoes and safe and practical means whereby they are shiftably linked together, the shoes being securely strapped on (like a pair of skates) thus giving the participants a chance to learn how to achieve skill and experience, whereby to promote orderly play and better performance.

One improvement resides in the novel linking or shackling means. To this end, a single link is utilized. This link is relatively short and the ends thereof connect with opposed longitudinal inward surfaces of the shoes. Best results are accomplished by using horizontal rods which are spaced from said surfaces, the link sliding along the rods as though each rod were a track or guide and retaining rail, the opposite ends of the rods being bent laterally and anchored in place. Then, too, the rods are sufficiently long to limit and govern the stride of one foot relative to the other with the link tending to keep the two feet together especially when the left and right shoes are directly opposite each other in the manner shown.

Another improvement has to do with the shoe itself. While this shoe may be made of a moldable plastic material, wooden shoes are being tried for the present. Each shoe comprises a flat-topped platform having strapequipped heel, toe and shank portions. Instead of a fiat bottom the platform is slightly elevated by way of spaced skids or runners. By preference there are several linearly straight runners on the heel portion and several on the toe portion, said runners properly lined up and with the treads of the runners in a common plane and the treads providing excellent skid-along results.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view showing one of the improved so-called shufile shoes with a portion of the aforementioned link omitted;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the shoe illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section on the vertical line 33 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a similar cross-section on the vertical line 4--4 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective but on a smaller scale showing both shoes and the manner in which they are coupled or linked together.

With reference first to FIGURE 5 one shoe is designated at A and the other one at B. While the shoe A in this figure appears at the left and the shoe B at the right it will be understood that when these two shoes are bein worn the shoe A would be on the right foot and B on the left foot.

Each shoe is the same in construction and a description of one will suffice for both. With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, it will be evident that the shoe is of onepiece construction and is constructed from appropriate material, no one being preferred. In any event the shoe as a unit comprises an upper part which is here conveniently described as a flat-top platform which includes a heel portion 8, a toe or sole portion 10 and a median or shank portion 12. At the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 the numeral 14 designates a heel seat or plate which is suitably constructed and mounted and which has a portion projecting above the heel surface to accommodate the heel of the foot. This plate is provided (FIG. 2) with suitably arranged end slots 16 permitting portions of the heel strap 18 to be passed therethrough. One free end of the strap is denoted at 20 and it is connected to the other free end portion 22 by a buckle or an equivalent fastener 24. A toe strap is also provided and this is de noted at 26 (FIG. 3) where it is passed through a slot or passage 28 provided therefor. One end portion 30 is free and connectible with a buckle or the like 32 on the other end portion 34. When the shoe is on the foot and the straps are tied it resembles a skate. Several spaced parallel linearly straight ribs 36 are provided on the underneath part of the heel portion 8 thus elevating the same. The lower surfaces of these ribs as at 38 are fiat and coplanar and constitute skids or treads. The forward end portions 46) are inclined upwardly toward and merge with the thinner shank portion 12. Corresponding ribs 42 are provided beneath the toe portion 10 and here again these ribs serve as runners and have upwardly beveled rear or trailing ends 44 and flat skid-along treads 46 which are likewise coplanar. It will be evident that the runners 36 and 42 are of the same height and crosssection (FIGS. 3 and 4) thus giving the platform uniform height from the ground or other surface in a seemingly obvious manner. The leading end 48 0f the toe portion may be pointed and the forward ends of the runners here are curved forwardly and upwardly as at St) to enable them to cope with uneven spots in the ground (or other surface traversed) and perhaps with unavoidable stones. The inner longitudinal portion of this shoe 8 as well as the shoe 5, is provided with a horizontal elon gated rod 52 constituting a component of the shackling and linking means. The rod is commensurate in length with the overall length of the shoe but is preferably such that it terminates inwardly of the forward and rearward ends of the shoe. These terminal ends are bent laterally as at 54 (FIG. 4) and are screwed or otherwise anchored in the platform portion of the shoe. Thus the rod proper is in spaced parallelism relative to the coacting lengthwise surface of the shoe. This rod may be referred to spa /3e57- as a rail or track and it serves to accommodate one end portion of the rigid connecting link 56, a link which joins the respective rods of the respective shoes together in paired relationship as seen in FIG. 5. The link is free to slide and tends to regulate the predetermined space between the shoes when they are in opposed relationship as seen in FIG. 5. The length of the connecting rods 52 limits the stride or step which is permissible to the wearer.

Reverting to the strap means 26, 3t 32 and 34 it will be noted that clearance notches 29 are provided at the respective ends of the transverse bore or passage 23. The purpose of this construction is to cause the adjacent portions of the strap ends 30 and 34 to fit into the notches and to avoid interference with the sliding action or motion of the shackling or connecting link 56. It should be further noted that the horizontal position of each rod 52 is in a plane below the top surface of the platform and above the treads 38 and 4-6 of the runners 36 and 42, that is approximately, as shown in the views of the drawing.

As is apparently true with most games, the rules and regulations for play are frequently arbitrary. In the instant matter certain rules could well be adopted but need not be dwelled upon. Some youngsters may hop, jump or otherwise act on varying impulses depending on expected good results. Others may skate along, as it were, but the construction will allow the feet to be lifted slightly above the surface being traversed; so, scraping the runners is not essential. Movements may be forward or backward depending on the game being played at the time. During forward movement the leading ends of the front runners, which are curved up tend to skid over rough ground spots, perhaps stones too.

Operating procedure, generally speaking, is such that the right foot is moved forward, that is one step ahead of the left foot, dragging the link with it. The weight should then remain on the left foot which, at the moment, is still. When the forward motion of the right foot is checked by the link and rod action, the left foot is maneuvered forwardly one stud or step as was the right foot. Repeating this step-by-step action over and over, progress toward the goal is made.

It will be understood that while certain activities have been set forth, the herein revealed play shoes may be aptly worn when engaged in the playing of all sorts of games such as football, basketball, soccer, softball or so on wherein the playing field would be restricted in a real extent. in fact, any game or sport activity is considered to be within the purview of the overall concept and the invention should be interpreted accordingly.

Manifestly, the maneuverability of the shoes is in no manner limited to forward and backward movements. The wearer may turn, move from side to side travel right or left as he may see fit to do.

'The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling withna the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in provoking fun and challenging rivalry between merry-making participants, amusement means comprising a pair of specially made rigid shoes one left and one right, designed and adopted to be worn by each participant, and rigid shackling means connecting opposed inward lengthwise sides of said shoes to each other, said shackling means functioning to hinder free foot and leg action :of the wearer and restraining and limiting the spacing of said shoes and also the traveling distance of one shoe relative to the other shoe.

2. For use by children and others when engaged in a .foot shuffling racing game; a pair of specially constructed rigid-bottom shuffle shoes, and rigid means connecting the opposed inner lengthwise portions of said shoes to each other, said means constituting a shackle embodying a rigid link and restricting the shoe action and limiting the forward or rearward movement of {011C shoe in relation to the other shoe.

3. For use by children and others when engaged in a foot shufiiing racing game; a pair of specially constructed rigid-bottom shufiie shoes, and rigid means connecting opposed inner lengthwise portions of said shoes to each other, said means constituting a shackle embodying a rigid link and restricting the shoe action and limiting the forward or rearward movement of one shoe in relation to the other shoe, said shoes being provided on the bottom thereof with runners, said runners being afiixed to heel and sole portions, respectively, of the shoe bottom and being disposed in spaced parallel relationship and having narrow flat tread coplanar surfaces to skid and shufiie along the floor or other surface traversed thereby- 4. For use by children and others when engaged in a foot shuffling racing game; a pair of specially constructed rigid-bottom shuffie shoes, and rigid means connecting the shoes to each other, said means constituting a shackle and restricting the shoe action and limiting the forward or rearward movement of one shoe in relation to the other shoe, said means embodying a rigid link and at taching and retaining rods, said rods carried by the 0pposed inward lengthwise surfaces of the respective shoes, and said link being joined to and sliding along said rods.

5. For use by children and others when engaged in a foot shuifiing racing game; a pair of specially constructed rigid-bottom shuffle shoes, a freely 'slidable rigid link of predetermined restricted size, and means slidingly joining said link to opposed inward lengthwise marginal surfaces of said shoes, said means comprising duplicated rods individually 'fixed to their respective shoes, said rods being approximately commensurate in length with the shoes and the major portions being spaced from adjacent surfaces of said shoes.

6. A shufile shoe comprising a platform for the wearers foot having heel, toe and shank portions, said heel portion having an upstanding heel rest, heel and toe buckle-equipped straps carried by the heel and toe portions of said platform, the bottom of said platform having front and rear spaced parallel ribs providing surface engaging runners, an elongated horizontal rigid rod in a plane below the plane of the foot surface of the platform and above the tread surfaces of said ribs and having laterally bent ends joined to a side of the platform adjacent rearward and forward ends, said rod having its major lengthwise portion disposed in spaced parallelism in a manner to accommodate and slidingly mount a rigid link on said rod.

7. For use by children and others when participating in a foot shuffling race game; amusement means comprising a pair of shufile shoes expressly designed and made for use by the participants, each shoe embodying a heel portion, toe portion and an intervening connecting shank portion, the bottom of each toe and heel portion having spaced parallel surface contacting ribs constituting runners and adapted to be shuffled along the surface, means for removably fastening the shoes on the respective left and right foot of the wearer, the inner lengthwise marginal portion of each shoe being provided with an elongated horizontal rigid link attaching rod, said rod being disposed in a plane between the top side of the shoe and upper lengthwise portions of the respective runners, said rod being of a length commensurate with the length of the shoe and having its major lengthwise portion spaced in parallelism from the shoe surface to provide clearance for a link, the forward and rearward ends of said rod being joined to the shoe and providing limit stops, and a link of restricted size and length having its end por- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Emmerth Nov. 28, 1916 6 Manderfield July 15, 1919 Lumbard Nov. 14, 1922 Hartman et a1 May 25, 1937 Klafi Sept. 26, 1939 Legeai Sept. 4, 1956 McKinnon Nov. 18, 1958 

